New York Giants Rumors: Bill Cowher Could Be In Running To Become Team’s Next Coach, But Wants Total Control Of Roster

The New York Giants are rumored to be aiming for a big splash with their next coaching hire, with reports that Bill Cowher is among the candidates in line for the job just vacated by Tom Coughlin.

Coughlin resigned from the team this week after 12 seasons, though in his farewell press conference he made it clear that it was not really his decision. Coughlin led the team to the playoffs only twice in the past eight years, though the Giants happened to win the Super Bowl both times.

Owner John K. Mara later confirmed that, had Coughlin not resigned, he would have been let go.

“All good things have to come to an end sometime,” Mara said (via the New York Times). “Tom broached it, but I would say it not a contentious discussion.”

With Tom Coughlin gone, the search for a new coach has begun, and the New York Giants are rumored to be looking at Bill Cowher.

Metro noted that the Bill Cowher to the New York Giants rumors are predicated on the team giving Cowher full control over the roster.

It’s long been said the Cowher covets the Giants job as the front office in New York is just as stable as the one in Pittsburgh. ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio wrote this week that Cowher would want full control of the Giants personnel decisions – which would mean Big Blue would have to fire GM Jerry Reese. A brash move like firing a guy who was recently told his job is secure would be out of the ordinary for the Giants, but if the prize is Cowher – who has been one of the top coaching candidates on the market for a decade – anything is possible.

There have been many rumors in the past connecting Bill Cowher to various coaching vacancies. Last year, rumors spread quickly after Cowher was spotted in Buffalo just hours after coach Doug Marrone opted out of his contract, though the former Steelers coach was never actually connected to the opening and the Bills ended up grabbing Rex Ryan instead.

This year, there are rumblings that the Philadelphia Eagles could be interested in Cowher. Merrill Reese, the voice of the Eagles, suggested that player personnel director Tom Donahoe may be angling to bring in Cowher.

“I do know they named Tom Donahoe, the former Pittsburgh Steelers general manager as their acting player personnel director,” Reese said (via 247 Sports). “And Tom Donahoe has a strong connection with Bill Cowher. I’m not saying that it’s going to happen, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tom Donahoe investigated Bill Cowher’s interest in returning to coaching.”

But if it comes down to it, the Giants could be a more attractive prospect for one reason — Eli Manning. Though he is approaching the twilight of his career, Eli Manning is a proven quarterback in a league that is entirely quarterback driven. If the Eagles are approaching Bill Cowher, it’s a much more difficult sell for him to be able to win with the unproven and oft-injured Sam Bradford at the helm.

And Cowher is keeping quiet, saying he is happy in his job as an analyst.

“I had the best job in football,” he said. “I stepped down from it. I’m very comfortable working at CBS right now”

The New York Giants are rumored to be looking at other candidates aside from Bill Cowher, including one of the hottest candidates of the moment, Denver Broncos assistant Adam Gase. There will likely be some competition there, as he is reportedly a top target of the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles as well.